1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machines for washing fabrics, such as clothes, and more particularly to such machines employing an orbital motion of the fabric receptacle during the agitation mode, that is during the washing and rinsing portion of the cycle of operation of the washing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional household clothes washing machines are of the vertical-axis agitator type and are usually rather large and complex. In such machines, there is generally provided a cabinet enclosing a water-retaining tub in which is disposed an inner fabric-receiving receptacle or basket. An agitator is mounted within the basket. The agitator and basket are coupled to a suitable power transmission driven from an electric motor. The transmission converts the high speed rotary motion of the motor to a rotary speed appropriate for centrifugal extraction of water from fabrics in the basket and to a slower oscillatory motion of the agitator during the washing and rinsing portions of the operating cycle of the machine. Such machines usually include a water pump for recirculating water within the machine and a filter for separating out lint or other particles from the recirculated water. Inherently, such machines use large amounts of water. Also there is a high energy interface between the fabrics being washed and the oscillating agitator. Many such machines have vibration and traveling problems resulting from imbalances in the machine, particularly during centrifugal water extraction or spinning operation. Such machines have frequently required complex suspension systems and often the basket is provided with an annular balance ring in a further effort to alleviate the vibration and traveling problems.
Various alternatives have been proposed to simplify such washing machines and to eliminate or reduce some of the problems referred to above. One such alternative arrangement is that illustrated and described in application, Ser. No. 039,406, filed May 15, 1979 and in copending Continuation-in-Part application, Ser. No. 142,949, filed Apr. 23, 1980, for John Bochan and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The washing machine illustrated and described in those aforementioned applications is of the vertical-axis type wherein the receptacle or basket is driven during the agitation modes, that is during the washing and rinsing portions of the cycles of operation, in such a manner that the basket moves in an orbital path. The basket is restrained from rotating about its own axis while being orbited. After the washing or rinsing action has been completed, provision is made for substantially aligning the basket axis with the axis about which it was orbiting, and the basket is then rotated about this latter axis to centrifugally extract water from the fabric load. In the structure of the aforementioned applications, outer wall of the basket is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending vertical ribs and with a plurality of inclined vanes for effecting movement of the fabric load during the washing and rinsing operations and to more effectively remove soil from the fabrics being washed.
An improvement in one aspect of the aforementioned applications is illustrated and described in copending application of Everett Morey et al., Ser. No. 172,092, filed July 25, 1980 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The basket structure of the Morey et al. application includes a plurality of annular ledges formed on a downwardly and outwardly sloping portion of the bottom of the basket. These ledges act in cooperation with ribs formed on the circumferentially outer side wall of the basket and with inclined ramps provided adjacent to the outer side wall of the basket to effect an improved washing operation. Another improvement on the basket of the aforementioned Bochan applications is illustrated and described in the copending application of John Bochan, Ser. No. 196,803, filed Oct. 14, 1980 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The basket structure of the latter Bochan application includes a plurality of spaced ramps formed adjacent the outer side wall of the basket at the bottom portion thereof and inclined upwardly in a direction opposite to the orbiting direction of the basket. A vertical wall is provided adjacent the inner edge of each of the ramps. Each wall extends above the surface of the associated ramp. The walls cause increased movement of the fabrics engaging the wall, enhancing turnover of the fabric load and redistribution of the fabrics within the load. Each of the ramps is formed to include an inclined section between the top of the wall and the adjacent upper ramp surface to minimize wedging of fabrics between the ramp wall and side wall of the basket.
The present invention constitutes another improvement in the construction of baskets for use in washing machines of the vertical-axis orbiting basket type.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a washing machine including an improved fabric receiving receptacle for effecting washing motion of the fabrics within the receptacle or basket during the washing and rinsing operation and to provide for effective turnover and redistribution of the fabrics within the load during the washing and rinsing operation.